The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-05-06
A FREE.rRApe LIE
The Question Of Protection, Education and
Observation-Disclosures and South Caro-

The Question Of Protection. Education and
| Observation-Disclosures and south Caro-
lima.
| The fertility of resources evinced by
our Free-Trade fellow-citizens in draw
ing on their imagination for alleged
facts prompts the query: What cursed
lies will Free-Traders next coin?
The campaign falsehood of the last
Presidential election averring that the
high price of coal in this country was
attributable to duties on imports was
stamped out by showing from the Tariff
act that anthracite coal was on the free
list while the duty on bituminous coal
was only the nominal figure of seventy
five cents per ton of 2.240 pounds.
The intelligence of farmers was also
insulted by the broadcast statement
that they were not protected by the
tari6. while the fact was clearly shown
that no group of industries was more
carefully cared for by imposts on i'm
ports from abroad.
The most recent production of this
falsehood mill is from Congressman
Jones. of Texas. who deliberately stated
that protection to American industry
has impoverished millions of the people.
increased illiteracy and cursed the
country generally. His words are as
follows:
Protection given to favored industries in
our once happy country has cursed our land,
impoverished millions of the people. and in
creased illiteracy."
The Irish Horld will give the facts
in the case. reversing the gifted a,l-
thor's presentation. thus:
Perhaps the two States which are
most distinguished respectively by the
preaching and practicing of protection
and free-trade theories are Massachu-
sets and South Carolina.
The most recent census report QssO)
gives the proportion of native white
persons of 10 years of age and upwards
who can not read and write per 1.OO9
thus: Massachusetts,. 30; South Caro-
lima. 224. Had the census authorities
taken the grand masses of the populs-
ton in those States. the comparison
would have been unfair to South Caro-
lima, as large part of her citizens had
been but lately freed from slavery.
which. OF course. encouraged litter
acy, while such freedmen formed but
an insignificant portion of Massachu-
sets society. But comparing. as has
been done, only those classes in either
State who have enjoyed similar advan-
tages, the contrast is absolutely Just
and Congressman Jones charge is re-
futed.
The same high statistical authority
gives respectively the population and
wealth of those two States thus: Mas
sachusetts-property. fl.JSi.756, sO2;
population. 1,7s3.OS5, or an average
of 1888 for each man, woman and child
IN the State.
The property and population of
South Carolina were az follows: Prop
erty. 1888, $50. 1855; population. 995. 557,
or an average of 1874 for each man,
woman and child within her borders.
Under this summary of general
''cussedness. which groups probably
all other evils. the Irish World will
confine itself to its influence on the
wage-workers. capital and education
being already disposed of.
The census does not give those rela-
tive figures, but the Commissioner of
Agriculture, in his report for 1873,
states the average wages of farm labor
in the group of States to which Massa-
chusetts belongs as being SIS per
month. while that other group of
States, of which South Carolina is one.
are quoted at s13. 2O.-Irish World.